RISCH: Misinformation an outrage

On Aug. 19, Idaho U.S. Sen. Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, posted on a social media Twitter account some shockingly deceptive misinformation. He linked the evil Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist El Shafee Elsheikh to Assad’s Syria, misleading Idahoans to also conflate ISIS with the Syrian Government. In the real world, the exact opposite is true: ISIS is trying to overthrow Assad and the Syrian Government.

If President Biden made such a gaff, Republicans would use it as further evidence of Biden’s mental incompetence brought on by extreme old age. Granted, Risch is only six months younger than Biden, but I would still disagree. This was an intentional obfuscation meant to further a dangerous neoconservative pro-war agenda. This is an outrage, because Idahoans deserve the truth from our government — particularly in matters of war.

BJORN HANDEEN

Coeur d’Alene